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Distribution patterns of dragonflies (Odonata) in Central Asia

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Abstract

The dragonfly fauna of Central Asia reveals distinct vertical differentiation. Three groups of species can be distinguished: mountain (24 species), plain (18), and plain-mountain (34) ones. The ranges observed can be classified into 7 principal types: plain, mountain, continuous boreo-montane, disjunctive Central Asian boreomontane, disjunctive Tien Shan boreo-montane, Central Asian, and Pamir-Alay plain-mountain. The leading factors determining the distribution of dragonflies are the temperature and the presence of streams suitable for preimaginal development; the former factor determines the potential ranges, and the latter, the actual ones. The present-day composition, structure, and vertical distribution of the dragonfly fauna formed during the historical time, after the development of artificial irrigation canals which provided new habitats for dragonflies.

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  1. Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 610091, Russia

    S. N. Borisov

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  1. S. N. Borisov
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Correspondence to S. N. Borisov.

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Original Russian Text © S.N. Borisov, 2009, published in Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 2009, Vol. 88, No. 1, pp. 11–17.

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Borisov, S.N. Distribution patterns of dragonflies (Odonata) in Central Asia. Entmol. Rev. 89, 26–33 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0013873809010059

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